Valentine's Day may be three days away, but today is a day for couples to celebrate their love, for it is "Yuen Xiao" (元宵). This is the Chinese version of Valentine's Day, also known as "Chap Goh Meh" in Hokkien.

"Chap Goh Meh" marks the fifteenth night of the whole Chinese New Year period. The "Yuen Xiao" festival is also known as 'Lantern Festival'. Homes will be decorated with brightly-lit red lanterns, and people carrying lanterns on the streets, soaking in the festivity.

Most families would gather to eat together on this final day of the whole celebratory period, while the town celebrates this occasion with fireworks and firecrackers (not in Singapore, but in Malaysia at least), lanterns, lion dances and of course the Chingay procession.The Singapore Chingay will be live-streamed with repeated telecasts. Click [HERE] for further details.

For myself, I spent the afternoon with my loved one, and will be having a dinner feast with the final lou hei (yusheng) for this Lunar New Year period. I will probably end the night with a karaoke session.

Although it is not a tradition in Singapore... In some other Asian countries, on this "Yuan Xiao" day, mandarin oranges are thrown into the sea by single ladies, believing that they will find a good husband by doing so. Also, it was believed that their future spouse will be the man who picks up the orange. Since the oranges are thrown by unmarried ladies, ladies these day in this current modern era may toss oranges into the sea but not before writing their phone number or email address, or may I add Instagram handle. :p

Not going to make a trip to the seaside tonight...So maybe I will toss mine into the swimming pool!

Nowadays, it is not just just the man doing the chasing. Ladies do that too. So guess what some guys do? They toss bananas into the sea, with messages or their phone numbers written on them. Hence, that's why this day is known as the "Chinese Valentine's Day"... cos of how it is related to the concept of love. Oh, and there's another day in the Lunar calendar which is considered as the Chinese Valentine's Day too - The 7th day of the 7th lunar month... It is the Qi Xi festival (七夕节) that celebrates the annual meeting of the cowherd and weaver girl in Chinese mythology.

"Love does not consist in gazing at each other,
but in looking outward together in the same direction."

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

But anyway, my opinion is that love is not to be expressed only on Valentine's Day... It should be expressed every day. It does not have to proven with a hefty price tag, but love can be shown in many sweet and simple ways. I feel that...

Love is Growing Old Together with the Love of Your Life

Will you love me in December as you do in May,
Will you love me in the good old fashioned way?
When my hair has all turned grey,
Will you kiss then and say,
That you love me in December as you do in May?

~ Robert Downing

Before I end off this entry, here's a Youtube video of a song, which lyric's so meaningful, written by John Lennon (one of the founding members of The Beatles) before his death in December 1980. To all couples, happy Valentine's Day, and wishing the best of luck to those who are waiting for their one true love. May the year of the Rooster be more prosperous and smooth-sailing for all of us.